


The Dragon and the Bear

by perezimovat



Category: Brave (2012), Disney - All Media Types, Dreamworks - Fandom, How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 10:57:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5925942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perezimovat/pseuds/perezimovat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the first age, King Fergus of Dunbroch set up a bargain with Stoick the Brave of Berk; that should his daughter Merida fail to marry one of the clansmen from neighboring villages before the eve of her 18th birthday, she would wed Stoick's son Hiccup. Thus creating a union between the viking hoards and the scottish nobles and ensuring peace. However, Eleanor feared that a union between them would be disastrous if they didn't meet at least before said marriage. So an accord - to meet once every year to make sure they got along.</p>
<p>Thing is; they really, really didn't.</p>
<p>And they'll do anything not to be together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"This is ridiculous," Queen Eleanor muttered under her breath as she paced the freezing corridors of the hallway. The long trails of her dress followed behind her only when she stopped to fix them from getting tangled around her ankles did she rub her hands and blow into them. She first thought that she, being the Queen first, and mother to her only child second, would be able to involve herself in the council. But overruled, she had to wait outside for her husband and the Viking King Stoick to finish their agreement. Her only solace of calm and commodity was that of her daughter sitting at one side of the corridor, playing with her wooden horse.

She looked up as she heard a noise; unsure if it was an agreement or something worse, but there was a loud muttering coming from the door. She tilted her head as Merida got up and swished around in her dress, prompting a soft smile to come from the queens lips. Merida jumped over to her mother and presented her with the wooden horse before going back to sitting down, now with a stick in hand and pretending to draw against the stone floor. 

This had been going on for a few days now. And Eleanor was beginning to panic that no deal would be set between the viking clans and their home. The Scottish Lords had always protested of their peace with the home of Berk, but Fergus had always found a use for it. Rubbing her hands, she blew into them again, fearing that she would die of cold if they did not hurry up. 

"Mum, are you okay?" Merida asked, looking up and sensing Eleanor's demeanor as she fumbled with the train of her skirts. Eleanor looked at her daughter for a moment, as if forgetting that the child was there, before letting her face soften completely into a tired expression.

"Aye love," she said kindly. "I'll be fine as soon as your father comes back."

Merida looked puzzled for a moment, like she was going to ask something but before Eleanor could hazard a guess, she shrugged. "Okay mum," she said before going back to her pretend drawing. Eleanor sighed, putting her slender fingers to her temple and sitting down on the bench outside the door, her fingers still clutching the wooden horse. After what seemed like another lifetime of waiting, the door finally rattled and out emerged a few vikings and Fergus. 

Jolting from where she sat, Eleanor moved quickly to her husband, asking in hushed tones the terms of the agreement set in motion. She put her hands to her mouth and stared down at her little girl. Merida quite enthralled by her own means of amusement, she had no clue. 

"Eleanor," Fergus muttered quietly. "This isn't going to be a problem. Don't worry - Merida will wed one of the clansmen, and we will not have a viking for a son in law. But we must keep -"

"i know," hushed Eleanor, still unhappy with the situation. "And what of theirs? That Hiccup?"

Fergus sighed. "Well, let's hope he likes archery," he said. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

For as long as she remembered, for every year, without fail, without reason and without so much as a note to announce their arrival. The Vikings of Berk arrived. 

And she hated it.

For one thing, Eleanor always made her wear her corsets during their visits. And of course they would visit during the warmer weather, so by time the day was done, Merida was often feeling disgustingly sweaty and unattractive to say the least. Secondly, it was the pushing behavior of her mother said during this time, to be with and talk to and work with the clan's chief to be - Hiccup. Who was a mess from start to finish. He couldn't ride a horse, he couldn't shoot an arrow, he couldn't joust, nor swordplay, nor wrestle, or even climb trees. And she had found that out all within the first summer of him visiting.

It frustrated Merida to the point where she would actively hide away from her mother during the clan's visit. And since her rejection of the nobles sons during her sixteenth birthday nearly 2 years ago - Eleanor had been pushing her towards Hiccup even more. 

Hiccup was an atrocious Viking. Or at least in Merida's view. She saw no good of him really. All he seemed to do was draw and be involved in his own little world. Often talking of dragons and creatures that simply did not exist. She was sure that he lost his leg because he was such a useless Viking. And not because of a dragon attack. Either way, she didn't like the visits and she hated it even more when she knew that he didn't like them either.

She knew Eleanor was pushing towards a union between them. But she wouldn't have it. She just had to make it known. Since Eleanor was not being overly explicit about it though, Merida couldn't confront her mother in the way that she wanted.  Still, it was overtly better than it had been several years ago. Eleanor had changed for the better and was a little more responsive to Merida's desires for herself. And whilst Merida felt that she had still remained the same, she also knew that she had become more responsible. That is; she took on her Princess duties a bit more seriously. Willing to actually consult and communicate with other clansmen.

Nonetheless. When she sat that morning on her windowsill, watching the sun rise over the dewy loch, and bright flag colors catching her eye, her heart missed a beat. In panic, she fled down the corridors towards her parent's chambers and declared that Stoick and his halfwit son Hiccup were on their way. She stared at Eleanor and Fergus almost breathless and they stared back for a moment before leaping into movement and calling everything into order.

Grabbing her daughters arm, Eleanor hoisted her into the chambers and practically stripped her of her clothes until she was in nothing but her cotton under-dress. Without word of warning, Merida found herself corseted with a new dress on and her hair plaited down her back.

"Mum!" she finally shouted in despair and Eleanor turned to look at her. "i don't need to dress for Hiccup or Stoick."

"i rather think you do," Eleanor replied sharply. 

"They've seen me rolling around in mud and my petticoats torn up to my knees," Merida retorted in a short snappy reply as Eleanor turned her around. Despite her protests, Merida caught sight of herself in the mirror and did in fact think she looked nice. Not that it mattered, but she did like the dress. Giving a sigh, Eleanor clasped her hands. 

"i know that dear," she said finally, before putting her hand against Merida's cheek. "just..."

Softening her express, Merida looked at Eleanor. "Mum, is there something you're not telling me about Hiccup coming here?" she asked. 

Eleanor looked at her for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. "No dear." she said finally before fixing her brooch and tilting her head back. "You are presentable," she said after a second of looking at her. "Now, go help me round up your brothers and herd them together so that they look someway decent? There's a good lass." She smiled and pushed Merida off. 

Fussing down the skirts of her dress, Merida moved across the stony corridors, holding her hands to her mouth and shouting after her brothers. "Huburt! Harris! Hamish!" Until growing tired of calling after them, she sat down for a moment and tightened her boot before remembering their secret passages around the castle. "Wee devils," She muttered before getting up and pulling back the curtain finding first a table full of cakes and scones and pies. 

Moving behind that, she saw Huburt sleeping off what she presumed was a hearty snack. Pushing him awake, she asked him where the other two were. When she got a shrug as a reply, she grabbed Huburt by the arm and pulled him up. "Found one!" she shouted along the corridor towards Eleanor; who in no time flat was charging down after him with a comb and a new cotton shirt in her hand.

Snorting, Merida grabbed a few of the cakes and bounced off down the halls, bumping into someone along the way. "Sorry," She said. 

"No my fault." the person replied, helping her back onto her feet. Patting down her dress, she looked up at the helmeted figure, clad in different types of leather. He didn't move for a moment before handing her back one of the cakes.

"Thanks," Merida muttered a little angry that it was now ruined for her to eat and that he had kept the better one. 

He pointed down the corridor. "That way to the main hall yes?"

Perplexed, Merida frowned. "You should have gone through the main hall to get to here," She told him shortly. "Yes, it is. How 'bout you take off that stupid helmet once and a while and you might be able to see where you're going and not get lost?" 

She felt her cheeks go into flame like that, and she turned, moving away down the corridor in the opposite direction towards her chambers. Finally inside, she grabbed her locket from her bedsit and clasped it around her neck. Admiring herself in the polished brass circle that hung above her tables, she smoothed down the unruly curls and sighed. "Time to face the beast," She muttered, biting into a cake and making her way to the main hall.


	3. Chapter 3

"What's the big deal about DunBroch anyway?" Astrid asked, sliding her armored gauntlet across her arm and putting it to one side. Hiccup looked up for a moment then returned to his notebook, giving a shrug. He wasn't really up for speaking, but when Astrid slid beside him and started mussing with his hair, he gave in and looked at her properly.

"It's this thing," he said, waving his hands into the air with a defeated sigh. "When dad was negotiating deals for Berk - food, land... whatever - they struck a bargain that to maintain the deals we had to meet every year to make sure agreements are being met." he gave a shrug before glancing at her as she tangled her fingers in through his dreads. "Dad just likes me going with him is all."

"Why doesn't he take Gobber?" Astrid asked, still curious but now completely relaxed against him. Hiccup picked up his pencil again and began working at his latest sketch. For that he didn't have an answer.

"Maybe because Gobber doesn't like the ladies at DunBroch," Hiccup said.

"Well," Astrid thought out loud, though nothing came of it. Hiccup waited but she said nothing in the end. Giving a sigh, he finished up the sketch. He didn't hate going to DunBroch. On the contrary, he sorta liked it. It was nice to get away from all the responsibilities he had in Berk. And up until a few years ago, he found the small respite away from the dragons to be rejuvenating. Less so now that he had managed to get Berk on his side with the dragon problem - now thanks to him, not really a problem anymore - but when he was younger it was definitely required.

No, DunBroch he found peaceful. And he liked the rolling hills and the beautiful scenery and the slightly warmer climate. What he hated was the Princess. Merida. God he couldn't stand her. The first time they had met had been just after their fifth birthday and she had tried to get him to ride a horse. He did it but the horse didn't like him so much and charged into the forest before kicking him off and sending him into the river. And she did not do much to help that situation by standing there laughing at him. 

And he didn't like that even after he protested to sports, she continually and persistently tried to get him to do archery. And he hated that too. In fact, every summer since he had came and went to Merida's he felt like he was just her punching bag and he was legitimately getting sick of it. Astrid had never really understood it. But only recently had she became aware of it owing to the fact that they had started courting just in the last few years. 

"Do you think your dad will let you take Toothless this year?" Astrid asked absentmindedly, touching on another important aspect that made Hiccup sick to the teeth regarding the agreement. He couldn't take his faithful friend with him. During his first visit, Stoick told him not to mention the dragons for fear of frightening the locals. But as every parent knows, children can't keep secrets. And Hiccup tried to tell Merida. 

Laughed at and ridiculed, Hiccup also faced having the Princess of DunBroch think he was absolutely insane and she made him feel like he was exactly that. He had learnt his lesson shortly then. But with the training of the dragons and his friendship with Toothless, he thought at least he would be able to sway his father into trying to talk to DunBroch and letting him take Toothless. No avail. And he felt his efforts with the dragons were wasteful.

"I've tried." He murmured. "i don't think dad'll be persuaded." He looked over at her. "I don't think he wants his deal to be broken over dragons."

"Not even if you sneaked Toothless in?" Astrid asked. 

Hiccup had to laugh at that. "if that was the case, I'd be sneaking you in too." he told her. Astrid smiled and tugged at his arm.

"Come on," She said, yawning and getting to her feet. "You need sleep and to walk me back to mine,"

Hiccup frowned. "Since when have you ever needed me to walk you home?" he asked. 

"You're right; do you want me to walk you home?" Astrid corrected herself with a small laugh. Hiccup shook his head and pointed back to his notebook. Sensing the message, Astrid smiled and leaned down to give him a small kiss. "Don't stay up too late," She warned him softly. "And remember to say goodbye to me tomorrow morning," 

Hiccup smiled against her lips and felt her leave. He gazed hollowly at at door as it clanged shut and turned his attention back to his notes. Toothless, who had for much of the night been sitting in the corner munching on some chicken bones, got up, lumbering towards Hiccup and putting his head into his lap. Hiccup scratched the dragons' ear for a moment in quiet contemplation.

"Sorry bud," he said. "You know I can't take you."

Toothless made a rumbling sound for a moment before falling quiet and Hiccup scratched his friends ear for a moment longer. He then yawned and stood, prompting Toothless to move his head from his lap. Getting up from the bench, Hiccup stretched his arms and picked up his books before hobbling slightly. Toothless caught him before anything happened as Hiccup kicked his foot.

"Stupid leg," he muttered, venting some frustrations. He leaned down and tightened some of the straps, wincing a bit as he did so. Toothless watched patiently for a second, empathizing with Hiccup but probably not to a full understanding or extent. Instead he nudged Hiccup along and the boy laughed. "Alright, alright, we're going." he said. "Yeesh, if you were that eager to go home, you shoulda said something!" Hiccup blew out the candle and moved towards the door, first letting the black dragon slip by him without any worry then exiting himself. Closing the door behind him and looking around Berk, he was a little struck by how eerily quiet it was.

Moving quickly he made his way down towards his home where Stoick was sitting in front of the fire. Massive as always, his father held a large tankard in his hand and was running his other hand through his beard thoughtfully. Letting Toothless slip inside first, Hiccup made his way over to sit down by his father. "You have your thinking face on," he noted quietly, flicking open his notebook to distract himself from actually observing his fathers face. "What's wrong?"

Stoick cleared his throat and looked around shuffling for a moment. "I think... I think I will have to tell you the reason for going to DunBroch." He said finally. "if you're to become chief."

"Woah," Hiccup said interrupting his father sharply. Stoick looked at him as Hiccup raised his hands. "First off, you've got plenty of chief years left in you. Don't give me all that legacy stuff." He said. "Secondly, I really don't want to know. Keep trade and stocks and whatever yadda yadda yadda." He rolled his eyes. "Look, just give me the basics and I can work out the rest, I'm smart. I'll figure it out."

Stoick stared at Hiccup for a long moment. "There is another reason. But I suppose it can wait."

"Other than the fact that you want me to marry Merida?" Hiccup asked after a moment. "i really don't care if it's anything else than that."

Stoick looked at him. "How do-"

"I'm smart," Hiccup responded quickly. "I think I mentioned that before. Look there's no other reason to develop such a close relationship with DunBroch otherwise and there wouldn't be such a need for you to take me to business trips. So it must be another motive. Marriage."

Stoick continued to gape. "And you're okay with that?" He asked. "How long have you-"

"No i'm not okay with it," Hiccup said shifting slightly. "I mean, I'm less okay with it now than I was two years ago... Merida was supposed to take a husband on her sixteenth birthday and she hasn't. That leaves me. But of course, I have Astrid. All I can hope for is that she'll pick someone before me."

"Hiccup,"

Hiccup stood, motioning to his dad. "I've had a guess since I was ten," He said slowly. "And I don't want to marry her, dad. I don't. I'll go with you, yeah. And I'll not mention it to her. But can I ask one request?"

Stoick sighed, and ran his hand over his face, too tired and too full of lost hope to argue with his son at this time. "Yes Hiccup?"

"Can I take Toothless with me?"

Hiccup should have expected the response. But before he managed to really finish his question, Stoick blew up. All seven feet of him expanded in a red faced rage as he began to shout about how incredibly dangerous it was for DunBroch to know of the dragons. Something about them wanting in on a trade and how it would lead to the Dragons extinction. How that in every corner of the globe humanity had began to systematically wipe out their own magical creatures and he would not have Berk do the same. 

Failing the hope that Stoick would bend the rules, Hiccup gave up trying to argue with his father for the sake of the fact that now the entire village was awake with the sounds of Stoick shouting. Hiccup, held up his hands in defeat before hopping up the stairs towards his room, leaving Stoick standing there still ruddy faced and full of hot temper. 

Toothless pricked up slightly as he saw Hiccup enter, but lay back down as Hiccup collapsed onto the bed. "Sorry bud," He said after a moment. "I did try." He lay there for a moment before sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Putting his notebook to one side, he began pulling off the many straps and buckles he had attached to him and tossing them to one side. Finally stripped to the cotton under layers, Hiccup reached down and loosened the straps of his leg before Toothless appeared before him waving his tail.

Giving a small laugh, Hiccup obliged and unhooked Toothless from his own saddle and contraption band tossing that to one side. Finally, Hiccup reached down and unhooked his prosthetic leg. Pulling it off, he hissed violently at it and looked at the damage to his stump. Peeling back the cotton cloth he used to keep the wood and metal away from the bone, he inspected it, slightly less blood than usual for the day. That was either a really good sign, or a really bad sign. He made a note to ask Gobber when he could about it.

With a sigh, he put the cotton cloth to one side and nursed his stump with some oils and ointments before laying down against the bed, grateful for the sleep that came easy.

Morning came too quickly though. And before he knew it, the gazing light of the sun was fast peeking through the windows. Eyes burning from sleep still, he looked up and around his room. Toothless was still quiet beside him, fast asleep and he wondered if the dragon had slept all night or not. He pursed his lips and closed his eyes again, feeling a small shiver go up his back as he tried settling down again. Anything to evade getting up and getting ready to leave. 

Only... There was Astrid to come back to. And he figured, the quicker he left, the quicker he was in DunBroch. The quicker he could make his father happy and the quicker he could come home to see her again and work out a plan to stop him from getting married to a woman that he didn't really like, let alone love. 

Struggling, Hiccup pushed himself out of bed and made himself ready, moving down the stairs with Toothless behind him. "I just need to give Toothless his flight and we can be off," He said as he approached Stoick.

"I've been thinking," Stoick said quietly. "You say that Toothless needs flying every day?"

"To maintain strength, yes," Hiccup said. 

"And you're the only one who can fly him?"

"Well other than the fact that my foot is the only thing that can fit his braking system and that he won't really let - hold on what are you getting at dad?"

Stoick looked pensive for a moment. "I suppose you can take him. But don't let anyone see him alright?!"

Hiccup stared quite unable to believe his ears for a moment before nodding. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, but why the change in heart?"

"Can't I change my mind?" Stoick asked.

"Yeah, sorry, i just - you seemed very set on it," Hiccup shrugged. "So will you be taking-"

"No, just take Toothless," Stoick said. "Start heading off now, the boats will catch up with you shortly."

 


End file.
